Effects Of Solar Radiation Research Articles

Awareness and Knowledge of the Effect of Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation on the Eyes and the Relevant Protective Practices: A Cross-Sectional Study from Jordan.

Background: Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is linked to serious adverse health effects that are cumulative in nature and affect children more than adults. UV radiation has also been reported to have serious complications for the eye, particularly in areas with a high UV radiation index. Increasing public awareness about the harmful effects of UV radiation on the eye and promoting awareness about protection against UV radiation may prevent eye disease related to UV radiation damage and help in the improvement of public health in general. This study aims to assess public awareness and knowledge of UV radiation and practices toward UV protection in Jordan, which is a country recognized as having a relatively high UV index throughout the year. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire using Google Forms® to assess people's awareness, knowledge, practices toward eye protection from UV radiation, and the reasons for not wearing UV-protective eyeglasses in Jordan. Sociodemographic information of participants including age, gender, education level, and employment status was also acquired. People's knowledge on UV protection and harmfulness was measured via rewarding their correctly answered knowledge questions with one mark and zero for incorrectly answered questions based on key answers defined from the literature. Results: A total of 1331 participants (77% females and 23% males) with an average age of 26(±10) years completed the online questionnaire. Participants showed generally high levels of knowledge and awareness about UV radiation and its harmful effects. Nevertheless, participants showed a low level of knowledge about the link between UV radiation and some of the ocular diseases in the questionnaire. Practices toward UV radiation protection where inadequate, with 59% of the respondents reporting that they do not use any protective eyewear from natural UV radiation. The main reported reason for not wearing UV-protective sunglasses was uncertainty in the efficiency of UV protection in sunglasses, as reported by 47% of the participants who do not wear UV-protective sunglasses. Conclusions: The awareness of UV radiation and its harmful effects is high in the studied population. Participant knowledge is also relatively high in relation to nature of solar UV radiation, other synthetic sources of UV radiation, and the most dangerous UV exposure time. However, low participant knowledge was measured on the association between UV radiation with ocular disease and the role of UV-protective eyeglasses. Participant practice toward UV radiation protection was found to be insufficient. Thus, it is important to further increase the knowledge of damaging effects of solar and synthetic UV radiation and emphasize the benefits of eye protection from UV radiation. Eye care practitioners should target youth by different strategies including health campaigns, media, and clinics.

English

A naturally ventilated solar-venturi dryer (NSD) was constructed using locally available materials to improve the quality of dry sweet potato slices (SPS) for small to medium scale farmers. The study investigated the efficiency of the NSD to reduce relative humidity (RH), solar radiation and temperature effect on firmness and color of dried SPS. The maximum temperature inside NSD was 44.4°C (12:00 pm) in an empty dryer and 34.1°C (13:00 pm) for a full filling NSD. The minimum RH in an empty dryer was 13.5 and 15.1% for a full filling NSD. The NSD was able to increase the temperature and reduce the RH at a minimum and maximum efficiency of 38.5 and 84.9% in a fulfilling NSD and 35.2 and 77.6% in an empty NSD. Thickness size and pre-treatment method had a significant (p<0.05) influence on color and firmness of dried SPS. The design of an NSD allows small to medium-scale farmers to process and preserve their produce at low cost, using the already available materials and structures. Key words: Solar radiation; color; firmness, efficiency.

Recent Trends on UV filters

UV filters are the shield ingredients of sunscreens against the negative effects of solar radiation. Since the discovery of the first UV filter, nearly 30 filters have become commercially available. Over the years, innovation and regulatory updates have driven their use by the cosmetic industry. This work aimed to characterize commercial sunscreens and unveil the main trends by analyzing the labels of 444 sunscreen formulations that are currently being marketed. Avobenzone, octocrylene, and bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine were the three UV filters with the highest usage frequencies (>40%). Emulsified preparations and sprays were the preferred forms, while the most frequent SPF was 50+. Differences were noted between adult and children’s sunscreens, namely the higher usage of inorganic filters for the latter. Over the past few years, the five most used UV filters remained the same, but octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate, and nano methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol had decreased usage. An increasing tendency towards the use of the inorganic UV filter titanium oxide was also observed. Overall, this study characterized the true market impact of approved UV filters and how the market has evolved over recent years. This insight can help pave the way for the design of new UV filters and is helpful for the assessment of environmental risks.

Evidence of the variation in the rate of change of temperature and precipitation

One of the most pressing challenges currently is climate change, and to face it, it is desirable to have the most detailed information possible on the distribution of climate metrics and the covariates that alter their fluctuations. This study investigated the spatial variations of the temperature and precipitation variables more sensitive to the unit change in elevation above sea level, considering the relative effects of latitude and solar radiation as covariates. For this, the analysis of covariance was applied to analyze data from 32,111 sampling units, systematically distributed in mainland Mexico, hypothesizing a constant and uniform rate of change of climate variables as the values of elevation above sea level increase and a non-significant effect of the covariates on the elevation-climate relationships. The results show that the rate of change of the studied variables varies at different latitudinal and altitudinal gradients. For example, without considering any covariate, for each meter that the elevation increases, the mean annual temperature decreases on average by 0.00473 °C, the mean temperature of the driest quarter decreases by 0.00488 °C, and the mean temperature of the warmest quarter decreases by 0.00449 °C. This means that for every kilometer of elevation, these variables decrease by 4.73, 4.88, and 4.49 °C, respectively. Yet, when the data were stratified by covariates, these values, as well as the rates of change in precipitation, varied significantly. There were also signs of a stronger correlation between altitude and precipitation for the driest month and driest quarter of over 30°N than in latitudes nearer to the equator.

Error analysis of multi-scale aerosol optical properties in shortwave radiative transfer

Atmospheric aerosols can significantly affect atmospheric radiative transfer, especially for shortwave radiation. In this paper, the differences between the bin method and the parameterization method for determining the aerosol optical properties using particle size distribution on the effect of solar shortwave radiation have been discussed according to the developed vector radiative transfer model. The aerosol particle size is divided into multiple regions in the bin method and each region has separate optical properties, while the optical properties of the parameterization method are obtained by integrating the entire size distribution and remain constant. Firstly, the accuracy of the model has been verified by Rayleigh scattering and field distribution simulations, and the validation results show that the average errors of normalized radiation intensity, Stokes components Q and U are 1.36%, 0.79%, and 5.82%, respectively. Subsequently, the angular distribution of radiation, the radiation characteristics of different model parameters, and the field distribution of polarization characteristics under the two methods have been calculated, and the relative errors between the methods have been discussed. The results show that the differences between the two methods are significant, and the angular radiation intensity of the bin method is generally larger than that of the parameterization method, with an average error of about 5%. The transmissivity decreases, and reflectivity increases with the increasing SZA (AOD), respectively, but both decrease with the increasing wavelength. For all model parameters, the transmissivity calculated by the bin method is generally smaller than that of the parameterization method, while the reflectivity is larger, indicating that the forward scattering determined by the bin method is weaker and the lateral (backward) scattering is stronger. Besides, the field distribution results show differences in the scattering phase matrix determined by the two methods. This research contributes to the knowledge of climate assessment and target detection.

MHD stagnation point flow of a water-based copper nanofluid past a flat plate with solar radiation effect

Due to many biological and technical applications, including microelectronics, heat exchangers, cancer therapy, process industries, solar collectors and power production, researchers have been more interested in the mechanism of heat transfer involving nanomaterials. A contemporary method to increase the thermal conductivity of various cooling fluids is the use of nanomaterials. Many researches suggest that the thermal conductivity of nanoliquids; solid nanoparticles combined with a base fluid, is expressively greater than that of conventional fluids. This work presents the theoretical investigation of magnetohydrodynamic stagnation point flow of non-Newtonian nanofluid flow past flat plate. The applications of solar radiation towards water-based copper nanoparticles are highlighted in this study. The system of PDEs is transmuted into the system of ODEs by mean of suitable similarity variable. Analytical solution of the present analysis has been performed with the help of HAM technique. The impacts of physical factors on the flow profiles, skin friction coefficient, heat, and mass transfer rates are calculated. It is significant to note that the default concentration is weighted by 4% throughout this analysis. Also in this analysis, we examined the temperature and heat transfer rate for the presence and absence of solar radiation. It is found that the greater nanoparticles volume fraction of the water-based copper nanoparticles has accelerated the flow profiles for the absence of magnetic field. However, for the presence of strong magnetic field, the velocity, and temperature of the water-based copper nanoparticles have significantly reduced. Due to the incidence of Lorentz force, the velocity of the water-based copper nanoparticles has deteriorated, while the temperature profile has augmented. It is found that the solar radiation has always dominant impression on temperature of the water based copper nanoparticles.

Study of the stability of Ricinodendron heudelotii oil: Effects of solar radiation on the chemical composition of the oil

The native crude oil of Ricinodendron heudelotii mainly consists of triglycerides formed typically with polyunsaturated fatty acids (84%). Fatty acids with three conjugated double bonds (Conjugated Linolenic Acids, CLnA) contain more than 60% of α-eleostearic acid (C18:3 9c, 11 t, 13 t). The heat-treating process using the traditional hulling method of seeds for kernel consumption results in the isomerization of α-eleostearic acid into β-eleostearic and catalpic acid. In order to gather information about the transformation of these conjugated polyunsaturated fatty acids, a study to investigate the effects of solar radiation on the native oil was conducted. Changes in the chemical composition of fatty acids in the oil, especially conjugated polyunsaturated fatty acids, were monitored by GC (Gas Chromatography). Analysis of fatty acid profiles of treated and untreated oils showed the isomerization of α-eleostearic acid under the effect of solar radiation, whether natural or artificial. This isomerization involves the conversion of α-eleostearic acid into its isomers β-eleostearic acid (C18:3 9 t, 11 t, 13 t) and catalpic acid (C18:3 9 t, 11 t, 13c) with a ratio of 5:1 in the triglycerides of the oil. Our findings highlight the significant influence of solar radiation on composition and isomerization of the fatty acids of Ricinodendron heudelotii oil, and emphasize as well as its potential use in the industrial production of some CLnA isomers.

Interactive effects of solar radiation and inorganic nutrients on biofiltration, biomass production, photosynthetic activity and the accumulation of bioactive compounds in Gracilaria cornea (Rhodophyta)

Interactive effects of solar radiation and inorganic nitrogen and phosphate on biofiltration capacity, biomass production, photosynthetic activity and the accumulation of bio-active compounds were studied in the red alga Gracilaria cornea grown in tanks with a seawater open-flow system during 35 days. Two light conditions were utilized: outdoor (O), full solar natural radiation, and indoor, inside of a greenhouse (G) where UV-B radiation was cut-off and part of the UV-A radiation was filtered. Two inorganic nitrogen and phosphate concentrations were used: High nutrients (HN; 100–200μM of NH4+ and 20μM of KHPO4) and Low nutrients (LN; 10–20μM of NH4+ and 1μM of KHPO4). Growth and biomass productivity were related to the daily integrated electron transport rate determined in situ, as an estimator of daily photosynthetic activity. Nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUE) was close to 100 % under LN, whereas under HN it ranged from 50 to 70 % in the first week of culture, decreasing to 10–15 % in the rest of the experimental period. Nitrogen uptake rate (NUR) ranged from 20 to 45 mmol N m−2 h−1 under HN, and 5 to 18 mmol N m−2 h−1 in LN treatments. Morphological and pigmentation changes were evident through the culture period. The thalli under HN were more reddish under the indoor treatments, than that in LN. The internal compounds increased throughout the experimental period. Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) were accumulated under HN. N plays a photoprotective role due to both the increased photosynthesis and the MAA content. Maximal MAA productivity reached 113–253 mg MAAs m−2 d−1 under the O-HN treatment, the highest level reported until now in the bibliography. G. cornea could be used for bioremediation of high N content waters. In addition, under full solar radiation and high N availability produce high levels of bioactive compounds as MAAs, polyphenols and biliproteins for cosmeceutical applications.

The Wet Bias of RegCM4 Over Tibet Plateau in Summer Reduced by Adopting the 3D Sub‐Grid Terrain Solar Radiative Effect Parameterization Scheme

AbstractThe Regional Climate Model Version 4 (RegCM4) with the conventional plane‐parallel radiative transfer scheme severely overestimates the summer precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) due to the excessive surface heat source, which results from the poor representation of the sub‐grid terrain‐related radiation processes. To realistically describe the surface sub‐grid radiation process in the RegCM4, a 3‐dimensional sub‐grid terrain solar radiative effect (3DSTSRE) parameterization scheme is implemented into the RegCM4 to improve the original plane‐parallel radiative transfer scheme. Results show that adopting the 3DSTSRE scheme in RegCM4 can significantly reduce the summer (June–August) wet bias over the TP produced by the model with the plane‐parallel radiative transfer scheme. Mechanism analysis indicates that the 3DSTSRE scheme largely improves the description of the TP surface energy balance in the RegCM4 by reducing the positive bias of downward surface solar radiation (DSSR). The reduced DSSR leads to the weakened surface heat source and cooler near‐surface air over the TP. Consequently, the local atmospheric circulation adapts to the temperature field as the low‐level anti‐cyclonic (high‐level cyclonic) anomaly over the TP. The adjustment of the temperature and wind field attenuates the water vapor transport, enhances the low‐level atmospheric stability, inhibits the updraft motion, and eventually reduces the rainfall over TP. Although the 3DSTSRE improves the DSSR simulation only during daytime, the precipitation simulation is also improved at nighttime, which is fundamentally attributed to the maintenance of the cooled atmosphere throughout the daytime and nighttime.

Effects of Solar Radiation on the Eyes.

It is known that exposure to solar radiation (SR) can cause various harmful effects on one's health, most of which are related to the ultraviolet (UV) component of SR.A considerably high number of people around the world who work outside are constantly exposed to SR for the majority of their working lives. The eye is the primary organ affected by short-term and long-term exposure to solar radiation. According to an ever-growing body of research, cataracts, pterygium, and macular degeneration are all possible side effects of prolonged exposure. Despite this, the danger of SR exposure is presently underestimated, if not completely overlooked, as a component of occupational risk for employees who do their duties outside. SR exposure is impacted by a wide range of individual and environmental factors; nevertheless, occupational exposure is among the most significant. The scarcity of affordable and accepted methods to measure SR worker exposure, particularly long-term exposure, is one of the key obstacles that must be overcome before a more excellent knowledge of this risk and the development of more effective preventive strategies can be accomplished. This review was conducted with the primary objectives of providing a comprehensive overview of the SR exposure risk of outdoor workers, including UV exposure extents and the chief approaches recently proposed for short-term and cumulative exposure, as well as providing an update on the information presented regarding the most common adverse eye effects. In conclusion, this article will be presenting preventative steps that may be taken to reduce occupational risk.

Mechanism of arsenic release from realgar oxidation in the presence of dissolved oxygen: Effect of reactive oxygen species and light-induced transformation

Oxidative dissolution of realgar is an important cause of arsenic (As) pollution in waters and soils. Generally, environmental factors including dissolved oxygen (DO) and solar radiation can lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on As-bearing metal sulfide minerals, which significantly promotes mineral oxidation and As release. Realgar is a typical nonmetallic sulfide mineral with excellent photochemical properties. However, the possible formation mechanism of ROS and the effect of solar radiation on realgar oxidation and the subsequent As release remain elusive. Here, the processes of realgar oxidation and As release were studied under darkness and solar radiation, and the influence of DO and pH on the reaction process was also investigated. The decomposition of H2O at the sulfur-defect sites and the oxidation of crystal surface As(II) by DO on realgar led to the formation of ROS including H2O2 and OH, which play a critical role in realgar oxidation and As release. Under solar radiation, the reactions between electrons and O2 on light-excited realgar promoted the production of O2−; while the realgar oxidation and As release could be mainly ascribed to the transformation of realgar to pararealgar in the presence of DO. Under atmospheric conditions, the release ratio of total As in realgar suspension was 4.2% under darkness, and increased to 18.1% under solar radiation. Both higher DO concentration and pH facilitated the generation of ROS and light-induced transformation of realgar to pararealgar, thereby promoting As release. These results imply that the ROS generated on realgar can induce its oxidation and As release in underground aquifers and sediments, and solar radiation may be an important factor causing As pollution in realgar tailings. The findings improve the understanding of As pollution in sulfide mineral mining areas.

Analysis of proliferated low Earth orbit constellation resilience against solar weather radiation effects

Proliferated low Earth orbit constellations are becoming more common both in reality and in planning. The resilience of these constellations to the radiation effects of adverse solar weather is of interest given that some of them pass over polar regions. This paper stochastically simulates solar weather events over the course of solar cycle 25 in order to quantify radiation effects on a model of Planet Lab’s Flock constellation under various design and programmatic decisions. The Flock constellation is a highly proliferated, commercial, and polar low Earth orbit earth observation architecture. Lifecycle and radiation failures are simulated along with a reconstitution system in order to quantify architectural performance as a function of constellation population. This time-based measure of performance is then used to quantify the constellation resilience and allow for programmatic and design variables to be altered in order to observe the effects on the resilience of proliferated constellations against adverse solar weather radiation effects. A sensitivity analysis is performed in order to assess which decisions most improve or degrade resilience. Broadly, the results show that commercial off the shelf components and programmatic decisions such as launch and manufacturing schedules may improve constellation resilience against adverse solar weather effects. More specifically, the results also show that commercial off the shelf components with even basic shielding levels provide high resilience to cumulative total ionizing dose effects and single event upset radiation effects. However, any further reductions to shielding would have significant impacts on single event upset rates whereas total ionizing dose would remain negligible. Furthermore, manufacturing time for Flock satellites is sufficient to maintain a resilient reconstitution strategy. Finally, results show that in order to improve the resilience afforded by a reconstitution strategy, improvements to manufacturing and launch times should be made in parallel, rather than one or the other in isolation.

Monitoring of the effect of solar radiation and rain on the building envelope with integrated vertical vegetation

The goal of the present paper is the verification of the improvement of the performance of a building envelope with a green wall also in conditions of high irradiance (≥0.6 kW/m2) and with variable meteorological conditions (sunny, cloudy, and rainy), with a focus on intense rainfall and tempest. The object of the analysis has been the Innovation and Technology for Development Center in the University Campus of the Polytechnics of Madrid, where a modular system of integrated vertical vegetation has been installed on the skin of the South and West prospects. The study is based on the analysis of the effective thermoregulation capacity of the system in different climatic situations and has been allowed by a database covering a 3-year period, which contains data from continuous monitoring of the meteorological variations and thermal flows through a weather station and sensors placed on the external surface of the envelope, and on the external and internal surfaces of the wall. The experimentation shows that the use of a green wall on the West prospect is even more valid in conditions of high irradiance, as it allows reducing the temperature of the wall by 10 °C, compared to the scenario without the green wall. The combined effect of rain and solar radiation produces different results on the exposure of the walls, with a visible effect only on the South side.

Responses of the Lodging Resistance of Indica Rice Cultivars to Temperature and Solar Radiation under Field Conditions

Much attention has shifted to the effects of temperature and solar radiation on rice production and grain quality due to global climate change. Meanwhile, lodging is a major cause of rice yield and quality losses. However, responses of the lodging resistance of rice to temperature and solar radiation are still unclear. To decipher the mechanisms through which the lodging resistance might be affected by temperature and solar radiation, 32 rice cultivars with different lodging resistance were grown at two eco-sites on three sowing dates over a period of three years. Based on the field observation, 12 indica rice cultivars which did not lodge were selected for analysis. Significant differences were found in the lodging resistance of the indica rice cultivars at different temperature and solar radiation treatments. The results showed that temperature was the main factor that affected the lodging resistance of indica rice cultivars under the conditions of this study. With the increased average daily temperature, the lodging resistance decreased rapidly, primarily due to the significant reduction in physical strength of the culm, which was attributed to the longer and thinner basal second internode. Among the 12 indica rice cultivars, the lodging-moderate cultivar Chuanxiang 29B was most sensitive to temperature, and the lodging-resistant cultivar Jiangan was least responsive to temperature. These results suggested that rice breeders could set the shorter and thicker basal internode as the main selection criteria to cultivate lodging-resistant indica cultivars to ensure a high yield at a higher ambient temperature.

Sunlight can convert atmospheric aerosols into a glassy solid state and modify their environmental impacts

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) plays a critical, yet uncertain, role in air quality and climate. Once formed, SOA is transported throughout the atmosphere and is exposed to solar UV light. Information on the viscosity of SOA, and how it may change with solar UV exposure, is needed to accurately predict air quality and climate. However, the effect of solar UV radiation on the viscosity of SOA and the associated implications for air quality and climate predictions is largely unknown. Here, we report the viscosity of SOA after exposure to UV radiation, equivalent to a UV exposure of 6 to 14 d at midlatitudes in summer. Surprisingly, UV-aging led to as much as five orders of magnitude increase in viscosity compared to unirradiated SOA. This increase in viscosity can be rationalized in part by an increase in molecular mass and oxidation of organic molecules constituting the SOA material, as determined by high-resolution mass spectrometry. We demonstrate that UV-aging can lead to an increased abundance of aerosols in the atmosphere in a glassy solid state. Therefore, UV-aging could represent an unrecognized source of nuclei for ice clouds in the atmosphere, with important implications for Earth's energy budget. We also show that UV-aging increases the mixing times within SOA particles by up to five orders of magnitude throughout the troposphere with important implications for predicting the growth, evaporation, and size distribution of SOA, and hence, air pollution and climate.

NRF2 in dermo-cosmetic: From scientific knowledge to skin care products.

The skin is the organ that is most susceptible to the impact of the exposome. Located at the interface with the external environment, it protects internal organs through the barrier function of the epidermis. It must adapt to the consequences of the harmful effects of solar radiation, the various chemical constituents of atmospheric pollution, and wounds associated with mechanical damage: oxidation, cytotoxicity, inflammation, and so forth. In this biological context, a capacity to adapt to the various stresses caused by the exposome is essential; otherwise, more or less serious conditions may develop accelerated aging, pigmentation disorders, atopy, psoriasis, and skin cancers. Nrf2-controlled pathways play a key role at this level. Nrf2 is a transcription factor that controls genes involved in oxidative stress protection and detoxification of chemicals. Its involvement in UV protection, reduction of inflammation in processes associated with healing, epidermal differentiation for barrier function, and hair regrowth, has been demonstrated. The modulation of Nrf2 in the skin may therefore constitute a skin protection or care strategy for certain dermatological stresses and disorders initiated or aggravated by the exposome. Nrf2 inducers can act through different modes of action. Keap1-dependent mechanisms include modification of the cysteine residues of Keap1 by (pro)electrophiles or prooxidants, and disruption of the Keap1-Nrf2 complex. Indirect mechanisms are suggested for numerous phytochemicals, acting on upstream pathways, or via hormesis. While developing novel and safe Nrf2 modulators for skin care may be challenging, new avenues can arise from natural compounds-based molecular modeling and emerging concepts such as epigenetic regulation.

Effect of Temperature and Radiation on Indica Rice Yield and Quality in Middle Rice Cropping System.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is cultivated in a wide range of climatic conditions, thereby inducing great variations in the rice growth, yield and quality. However, the comprehensive effects of temperature and solar radiation under different ecological regions on the rice growth, yield and quality are not well understood, especially in a middle rice cropping system. The rice growth, yield- and quality-related traits were investigated under different ecological regions. Among different areas, the days before the heading stage and after the heading stage of six cultivars ranged from 80 to 120 and from 30 to 50. The gaps of the grain yield, head rice rate, chalky grain rate and chalkiness level were about 1.2–52.4%, 1.0–3.0%, 2.7–12.7% and 0.3–4.5%, respectively. This study demonstrated that in these regions, temperature is a limiting factor compared with radiation. Moreover, the rice growth, yield and quality were closely associated with daily air (DT), maximum (MaT), minimum (MiT) and effective accumulated temperatures (EAT). An excellent rice growth, a high grain yield and an excellent quality could be achieved if the EAT was higher than 1592 °C·d and the MiT was lower than 23.1 °C before the heading stage, and if the DT, MiT and MaT were lower than 25.7 °C, 22.0 °C and 30 °C after the heading stage, respectively. These findings served as an important reference for optimizing cultivar selection for a specific area and determining suitable areas for a certain variety.

Performance of a solar photocatalysis reactor as pretreatment for wastewater via UV, UV/TiO2, and UV/H2O2 to control membrane fouling

The performance of a solar photocatalysis reactor as pretreatment for the removal of total organic carbon (TOC) and turbidity from municipal wastewater was achieved by implementing an integrated system as tertiary treatment. The process consisted of ultraviolet (UV) sunlight, UV sunlight/H2O2, and UV sunlight/TiO2 nanocatalysts as pretreatment steps to prevent ultrafiltration (UF) membrane fouling. The characterization of TiO2 was conducted with X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy , and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis. This study investigated the effect of time and solar radiation using UV, UV/H2O2, and UV/TiO2 to remove TOC and turbidity. The transmembrane pressure improvement was studied using a UF membrane system to pretreat wastewater with different UV doses of sunlight for 5 h and UV/H2O2 and UV/TiO2. The results showed that the highest removal efficiency of the turbidity and TOC reached 95% and 31%, respectively. The highest removal efficiency of the turbidity reached 40, 75, and 95% using UV, UV/H2O2, and UV/TiO2, respectively, while the optimal removal efficiency of TOC reached 20%, 30%, and 50%, respectively.

Shape optimization during design for improving outdoor wind comfort and solar radiation in cities

This paper delivers an idea of weather-based optimization as a sustainable design strategy addressing the changing climate. An environment-driven design technique is introduced and tested at the urban and architectural scale. Utilizing the interplay between the architectural intention and weather influences (specifically solar radiation and wind effects), the optimal design solution for the urban configuration and architectural shape emerges. An exploratory case study near the amphitheater in Kosice, Slovakia, demonstrates the proposed approach. Through the real-time iterative analysis of the environmental performance of multiple design variants, an urban concept of offices/apartment blocks, reacting to the local wind and sun situation, is formed. The wind flow situation and comfort are investigated in a design loop, blending the newly developed AI-driven simulation prediction models of InFraRed11InFraRed: AI-based real-time analysis of wind, sun, and thermal comfort in the streets developed by the CIL of the AIT in Vienna, Austria. and the sun hours analysis in Ladybug with the Galapagos optimization within Grasshopper. The final step of this method is the design and subsequent wind and sun analysis of fluid-shaped lamellae in three variants acting as wind catchers/shading systems. Improved pedestrian wind comfort for outdoor sitting (more than 30% increase in areas suitable for short and prolonged sitting) and optimum sunlight hours (25% gain in sunlight during winter solstice) is achieved using the proposed technique.

A Blasius boundary layer analysis for variable viscosity function near a flat plate

In this paper, the two-dimensional, incompressible non-Newtonian Blasius boundary-layer flow over a heated flat plate is considered. The variational viscosity which impact that model is considered. The thermo-physical properties and solar radiation effect are also discussed. Solutions are analyzed for the shear-thinning and thickening flows. The boundary layer governing equations are firstly non-dimensionalzed and then solved with aid of RK-fifth order method along with Newton Raphson method. The physical characteristics of the appearing parameters on the base-flow, temperature and concentration are presented in the form of figures and tables. Comparison has been made with previous literature and found to be in good agreement.